10 Ways to Fight Poverty in your Hometown

Yesterday I talked about diet problems in the poor, and a number of people contacted me for ways to help. I think there must be two approaches to fighting poverty: personally helping those local people in poverty, and working against systems that foster poverty. I have to admit that I’m not an expert in fighting the system, but I have worked to help people locally. Here are 10 practical ways to help the disadvantaged:

1. Every time you make dinner, make an extra meal and freeze it. Then take it to a local battered women’s shelter, halfway house, food pantry, church, or poor family.

2. Offer to help a single mom with her needs. Sometimes it’s something simple, like some home repairs, rides to work or the doctor, help with childcare or housekeeping, or help translating.

3. Buy extra canned and paper goods and donate them to food pantries and shelters.

4. Get involved in local orgs to teach children to read, teach teens and adults job skills and professional behavior, give business clothing to job-seekers, and help motivate the underemployed and unemployed (you may be the only encouraging voice they hear!).

5. Buy public transportation passes and grocery store cards, and give them to churches, shelters, or charity organizations.

6. Meet with the administration of local prisons and find out how you can meet the needs of prisoners emerging from jail.

7. Blog about poverty, volunteerism, and ways to help others, so that more people will be motivated to help those less fortunate. There is always somebody less fortunate than yourself.

 8. Donate jackets, blankets, backpacks, and warm clothing to shelters.

9. Ask local businesses, service groups, and clubs to donate money or products to the poor in your area (be specific and persuasive).

10. Write announcements or articles for local radio stations and newspapers, highlighting specific charities and their needs and events (if you can write a blog post, you can write an article!).

What ideas do YOU have?